“This is not amnesty. This is not immunity. This is not a path to citizenship”; The Latest Pandering From a President in a Tight Re-Election Campaign

deportation relief for some, miniature american flags for others President Obama explained his

decision to selectively stop deporting certain illegal*
immigrants, specifically, those under thirty who came into the
country illegally before their 16th birthday, have no
criminal record, and earned a high school diploma, saying “we are a
better nation than one that expels innocent young kids” and calling
beneficiaries of his exemption “talented, driven and patriotic
young people” before being interrupted by a heckler. “Precisely
because this is temporary,  Congress needs to act,” the
president helpfully noted, pitching the DREAM Act and wider
immigration reform once again.  

It’s hard to read this as anything but
pandering;  Latino leaders in the Democratic Party have
been
warning that for immigrant communities being hurt by mass
deportations the president’s failure on immigration reform
resonates the most.

Despite the president’s protestations of politics getting in the
way of the process on immigration policy, the phenomenon is old
hat. President Bush’s efforts to reform immigration were likewise
stymied, not just by members of his own party but by Democrats too.
Barack Obama ought to remember that, he was there.  Since
taking office in 2009, the president has made nary a move towards
immigration reform, spending most of his domestic capital pushing
through a deeply unpopular government healthcare reform scheme by
the skin of its teeth that the Supreme Court may go ahead and
overturn
anyway.

Promising to take questions, the president ended up only
responding to the
heckler reporter
who (says he mistakenly) interrupted.

Mike Riggs pointed out
earlier the president’s decision is something he could do in
the drug war, even though he says he can’t. Maybe pardons for those
under 30?

Illegal immigrants who have been here since they were kids but
turned 30 waiting for the president to act on immigration reform,
alas, will have to keep waiting, more victims of this president’s
deference to ad hoc governance over the rule of law. So much for
“fairness”.

*Illegal entry into the United States is a
misdemeanor.

More Reason on illegal
immigrants.

Update: Pandering link courtesy commenter
Sevo.